ACF Endowment Fund

What Is An Endowment Fund?

An endowment is a contribution or grant to a fund dedicated to providing certain specific services.  With most endowments, the grant received must be invested to generate interest income that will be used to fund specific activities.  The categories of endorsement funds are:

• Permanently restricted endorsement funds: These funds are designated by the donor to remain permanently intact for investment.  The resulting income must also be used in the manner designated by the donor.

• Temporarily restricted endowment funds: These funds must remain invested for a fixed period, after which they can be used for other purposes designated by the donor or fund management.

• Unrestricted endowment funds: The use and investment of these funds is designated by the fund’s board of directors and management.

While you may designate the type of grant being made to the endowment, the ACF Endowment Fund encourages donors to make unrestricted grants, which will free up the greatest range of options for the Foundation to work to benefit the chiropractic profession.

What Will The ACF Endowment Fund Do?

ACF Endowment Fund has been directed by its’ board of directors to focus on three areas: 

• Health Services Research Grants: To support a wide range of research into the outcomes and efficacy of chiropractic in a variety of venues.  For example, ACA’s joint research projects have led to a greater understanding of aspects of chiropractic practices that have led to important policy changes in support of the chiropractic profession.  The Endowment would seek to fund further research into professional and clinical issues.

• Post-Doctoral Fellowships: to support valuable chiropractic research at academic institutions by helping doctors of chiropractic earn advanced degrees in research-related fields.  Funding DC education will result in an increased amount of chiropractic research.

• Public Education: To support a variety of projects and vehicles for the education of the public about the benefits of chiropractic.

How Will Grants And Fellowships Be Awarded?

• Post-doctoral fellowships: A specially-appointed technical advisory committee will advise the Foundation’s board of directors on the fellowship criteria and make specific recommendations. 

• Health services research grants: The standing ACA Executive Committee will make grant recommendations to the Foundation’s board. 

• Public education projects: The Vice President of Communications will establish criteria and make recommendations to the Foundation’s board.

Why Should I Contribute?

There are numerous benefits, both personal and professional, to making this type of contribution.  First and foremost, an endowment gift, by its long-term nature, helps to ensure the continued growth and expansion of the chiropractic profession over the span of many years.  During times of economic uncertainty, an endowment fund provides a measure of financial security, and may be the sole guarantee that foundation’s noble and considerable goals will still be achieved.

And of course, there is the personal tax benefit to consider.  The American Chiropractic Foundation is an IRS-qualified 501(c) 3 organization, to which any contributions are tax deductible.  A taxpayer making a grant to the endowment fund will be able to claim the contribution as an itemized deduction.  You may deduct up to 50% of your adjusted income, depending on the size of your endowment contribution.  If the size of your contribution is greater than 50% of your adjusted income, you may carry the balance forward to future tax years for up to five years.

Both individuals and companies will receive documentation of the contribution for tax purposes, and their generosity will be publicized on a regular basis in ACA Today.

How Do I Contribute To The American Chiropractic Foundation?

Making the ACF a beneficiary of your life insurance policy or bequeathing a designated amount under the terms of your will are excellent methods of funding the important work of the American Chiropractic Foundation.  This kind of estate planning is a painless way of making a contribution to the health and longevity of the profession.

You might also want to consider a gift to an endowment fund of such assets as stocks, bonds or mutual funds that have increased in value.  If you have owned these assets for at least a year and a day, making them ‘long-term’ investments, you can deduct their entire value from your taxable income, including the value of any ‘paper profits’ that you have realized from the investment.  Additionally, the long-term capital gains tax on assets given for charitable use is completely avoided.

I Would Like to Contribute…What Should I Do?

Start planning now, in order to maximize the personal, professional and tax benefits of any gift you are considering.  Your tax advisor and attorney should be consulted about all of the implications of a charitable gift of this nature.

In your planning, be sure to consider a review of your comprehensive estate plan.  Remember that your will, life insurance and retirement plans can also offer opportunities for charitable giving while providing gift and estate tax benefits.

American Chiropractic Foundation 1701 Clarendon Boulevard Arlington, Virginia   22209 703.276.8800 Email

 The American Chiropractic Foundation is an IRS-qualified, 501(c) 3 tax-exempt charitable foundation, designed to benefit the chiropractic profession.  The ACF Endowment Fund will provide long-term stability to the activities of the Foundation. This information is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered.  Neither the author nor the publisher of this material is engaged in rendering legal, accounting, or other advisory services.  If legal or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought.